They were succeeded as an important hype subject, but somehow the doubts are increasingly disappearing that they could ever take off: air taxis! The bankruptcies of two manufacturers in Germany are “food” for the skeptics. In America, however, the market reveals more and more, FACC CEO Robert Machtlinger reveals.
Two German flight tax manufacturers have been an economic crash landing in recent weeks: First Lilium slipped bankruptcy, then Volocopter, where the last company was finally taken over by the Chinese Wanfeng Group.
The difficulties of the recent past raise the calls that Air Taxis can become vision instead of reality. “Europe and China were a pioneers market in the field of urban air mobility a few years ago, but that has turned completely,” explains Robert Machtlinger, CEO of FACC, who observes that the leading role has now taken North -America. In China there is also a strong player at Ehanang.
The aircraft supplier led by Machtlinger has long been a sought-after development and production partner in the air taxi business. The largest customer of the Innviertler in this area is Archer. The company itself comes from Silicon Valley, with Stellantis has a large group in the back that also dominates the subject of automation, and United Airlines also has an interest. “United has a huge network. They build it very concentrated,” says Machtlinger. FACC already produces in series for the Archer model: namely hull, wing and interior design details.
The flight to the city as a “unique sales argument for premium customers”
Embraer Branch Eve also relies on the know -how of Upper Austria. United Airlines also has a participation in this company. The airline’s strategy is clear for Machtlinger: “You want to transport people from the airport to the city as a unique sales argument for premium customers.”
For another American customer, FACC is still responsible for the interior of Air Taxis, and there is also a logistics drone from an American customer who builds on parts of the Innviertel. “A new market is open to us. We currently have developmental orders worth $ 100 million in the field of urban air mobility,” says Machtlinger, who talks about a “very interesting story”: “Because we can also test new technologies.”
Air Taxi flies automatically, but a pilot is on board
What makes the struggle for the approval for the Air Taxis easier is that the aircraft flies automatically, but a pilot is on board who can follow everything and also intervene.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
